Charlie Hebdo draws ire with Barcelona attack cartoon

Reactions pour in over cover showing a van running over people with the caption: 'Islam: religion of peace...eternal'.

23 Aug 2017 12:52 GMT

Charlie Hebdo's cover depicting events in Barcelona has been condemned as being unfair to the victims and Muslims [Charlie Hebdo]

Critics have taken to the internet to condemn the French satirical magazine, Charlie Hebdo, over a front-page cartoon linking Islam to a recent deadly attack in Spain, saying it risked fanning Islamophobia.

The latest edition of the magazine, which was attacked by gunmen in 2015, shows two people lying in a pool of blood having been run over by a van next to the words: "Islam: religion of peace...eternal".

A dozen fighters of Moroccan origin are believed to have plotted last week's attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils.

In Barcelona, at least 14 people were killed and more than 100 injured after a van drove into crowds.

Critics of Charlie Hebdo saw its cover as tarring an entire religion, practised by around 1.5 billion people worldwide, by implying it was inherently violent.

Charlie Hebdo lampoons all religions and religious figures, but its depictions of the Muslim Prophet Mohammed - an act considered sinful under Islam - led to outrage, death threats and, ultimately, violence.